Dear Editor,
I’m raising this matter publicly because it affects too many of us to remain silent any longer. The ongoing issues with the quality of debit, credit, and Maestro cards issued by Mariel Curiel Bank Bonaire (Statia) are now more than a minor inconvenience; they're a serious disruption to everyday life and business, especially when traveling abroad.
Like many customers, I’ve had to replace my card multiple times – four, to be exact. Each time, the card simply stopped working after limited use in and out of one’s purse or wallet. This pattern isn’t random. It signals a quality issue that needs immediate attention.
In the meantime, customers are being charged a $5 transaction fee just to access their own money at the bank counter often because they have no other option. On top of that, a replacement fee is applied for cards that fail through no fault of the customer And then we wait a week or longer for a replacement, only to repeat the cycle.
This is not about casting blame. It’s about responsibility and responsiveness. A modern bank must be able to issue lasting quality and reliable cards. It must recognize when something isn’t working and act quickly to fix it, not pass the cost on to customers.
I’m urging Mariel Curiel Bank Bonaire (Statia) to take clear and visible steps to upgrade the quality of its cards and to waive any related fees until the issue is fully resolved. Customers should not be penalized for a problem they didn’t create.
The community is watching and hoping for change on this, not just words, but action. This is a chance to turn frustration into progress, and I believe it’s possible.
Concerned citizen
Name withheld at author’s request.
